Electric assist bikes.
Why are Ebikes so popular now?
Ebikes are growing more popular now because they are kinder to the environment than a car and cost less. Saving you money.
You can still exercise and explore further with more varied terrains. Commuting or shopping is made easier and most importantly they are super fun!
Ebikes come in many types , hybrid , mountain , road , touring , cargo & kids the list goes on…
Hybrids suite commuting or leisure riding , maybe taking the kids to school or running errands.These can be equipped with mudguards , racks and luggage to become a real versatile bike.
Mountain bikes help you tackle steep terrain with ease, letting you ride further for longer off road, these tend to have a larger battery and more power full motors for the demands of off road riding.
Gravel is great for off road cycle tracks , bike packing , commuting or winter road miles.
If you would like some more information , a test ride or just a chat about the Ebikes we stock give us a call.
We have Ebikes from , Trek , Electra , Raleigh , Lapierre , Ridgeback , Tern & Pinarello with batterys and motors from Bosch , Shimano , Fazua , Suntor & Hyena
What kinds of e-bike batteries are there?
On new or recent e-bikes you invariably get some kind of lithium-ion battery. Older second hand e-bikes may have other chemistries; the earliest e-bikes featured very heavy lead acid batteries, then came nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride, both of which were lighter and can still be found to retain a useful amount of capacity for shorter runs – perhaps useful if you are looking for a really cheap and cheerful second hand ‘hack’ e-bike. Giant’s Lafree model and some Heinzman kits were highly regarded at the time and still turn up second hand with these nickel based batteries.
However, despite the extra expense and complexity, a good quality, decent capacity lithium-ion battery is often the most practical option; it will give you the best range, reliability and longevity. You might read all kinds of claims for different variations of lithium-ion e-bike battery, with cobalt, manganese and more included in the mix. Don’t worry! There doesn’t seem to be any great expert agreement on which of these formulas is superior, so for now it’s more important to get a well made, high quality lithium-ion battery, regardless of the chemistry used. In practice this means batteries with cells (cells are the individual components of batteries) from reputable makers like Sony, Panasonic and Samsung.
Rear rack, frame-integrated or frame mounted?
There are three common mounting positions; rear rack, on top of the downtube or totally integrated into the frame.
The first option is OK for lighter batteries on lightly loaded bikes intended for more gentle riding. If ridden heavily loaded the extra weight at the top and rear of the bike can start to affect handling. Rack-mounted batteries are found on some good quality budget e-bikes however and shouldn’t be discounted. Raleigh’s Array model is one good example.
Downtube-mounted batteries are still very common but are slowly being replaced by frame-integrated batteries. It’s rather horses for courses which of these options you might choose.
Those mounted on top of the downtube can be less fiddly to get on and off the bike but integrating the battery into the frame gives more protection from knocks and looks more aesthetically pleasing to many. Downtube-mounted and frame-integrated give better handling than rack-mounted batteries as the weight is kept low and central.
What capacity battery do you need?
As a general rule it’s best to get the largest and best quality battery you can as this will mean an easier life for your battery (i.e. less charge cycles) and also more range per charge.
Battery capacity is measured in Watt hours (Wh) and 400Wh or 500Wh are fast becoming standard sizes.
You might want to go small though, for example on an extremely lightweight efficient e-bike, folder or if you simply know you’ll only be making short trips.
E-folders often use smaller batteries to keep overall weight down and keep them portable. The new electric Brompton is actually one of the larger batteries found on a folder at 300Wh and neatly removes in a jiffy to help carrying.
Conversely, if you are after maximum distance on a single charge there are dual battery systems out there that mean you don’t even have to swap batteries. Bosch’s own dual battery system gives a massive 1000Wh capacity – enough to ride all day on high power settings – and it automatically draws power from both batteries at an even rate, the optimum method for giving your batteries an easy life.
How many miles will I get from my battery?
How long is a piece of string? A very rough rule of thumb is to divide the Wh capacity of a battery by 15 to give a very rough estimate of the range (for example giving an estimate of around 33 miles from a 500Wh battery).
Of course actual range depends on power level selected, rider weight, terrain and weather and can vary massively. Bosch’s Range Assistant is a useful guide to likely range as it let’s you estimate the effect of various factors on range, though I have always found it a little on the optimistic side.
You can get many times more mileage than you might expect. Similarly an e-mtb ridden on high power settings over very challenging off-road terrain with a heavy rider could easily return a range of less than 20 miles on a complete charge of an average capacity battery.
Tips for extending battery range include conservative use of the power settings and using the gears to keep the pedals spinning at a fairly fast cadence as well as moderating your speed; for example riding at 13mph instead of the max assisted speed of 15.5mph will usually save a good amount of battery capacity.
Display & Controls
Most brands displays and controls differ , with some having smart phone connectivity and mapping to some just showing you all the key information you need to know.
Bosch eBike displays offer a perfect companion for every requirement – from the purist control unit to the all-in-one on-board computer or the smartphone solution on the handlebars. In order to be able to compare the various displays and make an informed decision, it is helpful to differentiate between connected and non-connected displays. Purion and Intuvia are the right choice for riders who want an easy-to-use display: they offer a quick and clear overview of the essential riding data. Anyone who likes to plan their routes and digitally track and analyse riding data should choose a connected Bosch display solution. Compact, robust and integrated with the Bosch eBike Connect world, Kiox offers all the functions that an ambitious sporty rider could need. The new Nyon is the ultimate all-in-one display and combines fully connected navigation, eBike control and fitness training in a single device. And SmartphoneHub together with COBI.Bike allow you to use your smartphone as an eBike display. All you need is the COBI.Bike app and your eBike is connected to the digital world.
